The troubling increase in speeding offences - here's the North West figures
Date published: 02 May 2020
In total, nearly 2.5 million UK drivers were caught speeding last year, a 7% increase compared to 2018
Speeding offences across the North West have increased year-on-year, as data reveals one motorist was caught driving at 107mph in a 30mph zone.
New Freedom of Information data, obtained by Confused.com, revealed police reported 238,497 speeding offences in the North West in 2019 - an 8% increase compared to 2018 - with some drivers reaching more than 250% above the speed limit.
According to the data, the Lancashire Police recorded one motorists driving at 107mph in a 30mph zone in 2019.
However, this isn’t the fastest speed recorded last year.
Merseyside Police also recorded one driver hitting 133mph on a 60mph road.
In total, nearly 2.5 million UK drivers were caught speeding last year, a 7% increase compared to 2018.
And as the data reveals the extent of speeding offences throughout last year, further research suggests that we could see another significant increase in 2020, despite the current lockdown conditions.
Due to the current lockdown, roads are notably quieter as drivers refrain from using their vehicles.
But further research from Confused.com shows that people have become more aware of other drivers speeding.
According to the research, one in five (20%) UK drivers have seen or heard more cars speeding since being in lockdown.
And this could be down to fewer people on the roads, with more than two in five (42%) drivers believing people are more likely to speed if the roads are quiet.
More than a third (36%) already believe people are taking advantage of the empty roads.
However, according to the research, there seems to be some misunderstanding that the lockdown conditions means they’re less likely to get caught.
That’s according to nearly one in three (30%) UK drivers.
But motorists should remain mindful of their driving habits, as FOI data reveals that 44% of speed cameras across the UK are turned on, either permanently or temporarily.
And while police resources are understandably stretched under the current conditions, drivers are still very likely to be caught if they are breaking the law.
If a driver is caught speeding, they’ll be on the receiving end of a minimum £100 fine – an expense no doubt drivers could do without during this challenging time.
And based on this minimum amount, drivers in the North West caught speeding last year would have paid an eye-watering £23 million in speeding fines, collectively.
However, in some cases, drivers can expect to be paying a significant amount more, suggesting this total could be a lot higher.
A new law introduced in 2017 meant that drivers could pay up to 175% of their weekly salary, but without one clear sum for all offenders, this can be confusing to know how much they can expect to pay.
To help drivers understand just how much they could be forking out for going even a few miles per hour over the limit, Confused.com has created a speeding fine calculator, which calculates the fine based on their salary and the severity of the offence.
The majority of UK drivers (80%) admit to having broken the speed limit at least once, with one in six (17%) doing so frequently.
And, worryingly, more than half (53%) of motorists think it’s acceptable to speed under some circumstances.
More than half (59%) of these think it’s okay if it’s an emergency, while nearly one in four (24%) think it’s acceptable if there aren’t any other cars on the road.
Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “At times like this, when there are fewer cars on the road, it might be tempting to take advantage.
"But, as our research shows, nearly half of speed cameras are always switched on – so you’re less likely to get away with it than you might think.
“Ultimately, speed limits are in place for a reason – to keep road users and pedestrians safe.
“And with the way speeding fines are calculated, you might face far heftier fines than you realise, with the potential of paying up to 175% of your weekly income.
"However, it can be confusing to know exactly how much this could be.
"To see how much this could set you back, our speeding calculator works out the cost of a fine, while highlighting at what point you could be hit with a ban.”
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